It is somewhat hard to believe, but the modern version of golf has now been around for over 50 years. The sport has since progressed a long way from a bunch of Rice University students throwing Frisbees at a tree, or players in Augusta, Georgia hurling their discs into 50 gallon trashcans. Ever since the golf disc replaced the standard Frisbee for the game in 1983 players have been creating courses that are both easy on the eye and yet challenging to play. Here is a guide to the world’s top Frisbee golf courses.

Flip City Disc Golf Park – Shelby, Michigan

Photo: Tomjulio

Flip City is often described as the Field of Dreams of the disc golf world. This labor of love was designed in 1980 by Bill McKenzie and he has owned and operated it ever since. This is a highly challenging course, mainly due to the extreme changes in elevation throughout the playing area. Catch this in the late summer or early fall to fully experience one of the worlds greatest disc golf courses.

Selah Ranch (Lakeside and Creekside) – Talco, Texas

Photo: Donovan

Selah Ranch is the site of two championship courses designed by disc golf master designer John Houck. This is a flat and moderately wooded course, but it does bring in the added element of water hazards that are not seen on a lot of courses. The beauty here is that almost all holes offer multiple lines, really challenging the player and his or her risk/reward choices.

Idlewild – Burlington, Kentucky

Photo: Timg

This Kentucky course is of professional caliber and has been designed on the rolling hills typical of the area. Idlewild has plenty of water hazards and is offers excellent variety over its holes as the density of the woods is incredibly varied. This course is one for the skillful over the powerful as accuracy is just as important as distance on this gem.

Kalajoki Sands – Pohjanmaa, Finland

Photo: Timg

This is a challenging course as much due to the weather as the design itself. This part of Finland is know for its high winds coming in off of the ocean and that will test the best disc golfers out there. The course winds through sand dunes and by a beach and a campground, making it as good to look at as it is fun to play. This is definitely one of the top Frisbee golf courses in the world.

Sipapu – Vadito, New Mexico

Photo: RocCityDiscer

Disc golf is fun. Disc golf on the side of a mountain is way more fun. This vacation destination course has 20 baskets and each hole can be player off of one of three tees depending on skill level. As you can imagine with a mountain course the elevation changes on this course are extreme, making for a wonderful challenge as you fire discs between the evergreens.

Crystal City Underground DGC – St. Louis, Missouri

Photo: Dirtyrock

If playing disc golf outdoors runs too much of a risk of sunburn and other elemental woes then why not play it underground. In St. Louis you can play inside a 200 acre sand mine/cave that is being transformed into an entertainment destination. This course is obviously low on trees, as in there are none, but it is a must play course purely to say “I did that”.

So there are six of the world’s greatest Frisbee golf courses. Obviously the list is slanted toward courses in the United States, but it makes sense as the US, and Scandinavia, are the two real hotbeds for the sport. Disc golf is still growing and as more and more pick up the sport new courses will be designed that deserve inclusion on this list. Let us know of any personal favorites in the comments below.

Steve is an annoying competitive individual who thus can't get enough sports in his life. He loves to write about sports almost as much as he loves to play them and his proudest sporting accomplishment is winning a National Championship with the Wichita Barbarians Rugby Club in 2015.

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Steve is an annoying competitive individual who thus can't get enough sports in his life. He loves to write about sports almost as much as he loves to play them and his proudest sporting accomplishment is winning a National Championship with the Wichita Barbarians Rugby Club in 2015.